How I Met Your Mother: ''Last Cigarette Ever'' Review

The gang tries to quit smoking.

Perhaps it's because I'm not -- and never have been -- a smoker, but I didn't find the concept of this episode in any way funny, or entertaining. I love how How I Met Your Mother usually gives us a fresh take on dating humor and friendships. The series also has had a lot of fun taking a different look at the world of the characters -- since the show is really a collection of tales that Ted is telling his future children, he sometimes leaves things -- even people -- out (like bartender Doug, in "The Fight") or exaggerates details (like the aged look of Robin's older boyfriend in the first "Slapsgiving"). So the idea that Ted would leave out that "Aunt" Robin smoked when telling his kids the story of how he met their mother fits just fine in the context of the series, as does the additional revelations that Marshall, Lily, Ted and Barney all smoke as well. If only it was actually funny.

As a fan of the groundbreaking HBO sketch series Mr. Show with Bob and David, I was initially very happy to see Bob Odenkirk reprise his role as Arthur Hobbs, the boss from hell. My excitement soon turned to disappointment, as Odenkirk was completely wasted this episode, essentially serving as just a reason for Marshall to start smoking again. The running gags of Hobbs forgetting Marshall's name and being overly proud of his dog were mildly amusing, at best.

Arguably the worst Hobbs-related joke was when Barney informed us that Hobbs had fired What's-His-Face, and What's-His-Face had killed himself. The punchline? "I guess then it's more like 'Where's-His-Face.'" Cue laugh track. There's probably some people out there who actually laughed at that lame attempt at dark humor, but in my opinion it's the most unfunny line Barney's ever uttered.

Robin's storyline this episode -- as she found out what her new co-anchor, Don Frank, is really like -- seemed like the writers had forgotten they told us that Robin would soon be dating Don. Don is such an egotistical, unlikable person who consistently rubs Robin the wrong way, it seems completely impossible that Robin would ever think of dating him; and yet future Ted Mosby informs us toward the end of this week's episode that Don and Robin would indeed be dating within three months. Don had a few somewhat funny lines, such as when he described his colonoscopy as having more viewers than "Come On, Get Up New York" (with more twists and turns), and when he pointed out that a chair is operating the camera. But it all seemed more likely to make him a recurring annoying co-worker of Robin's than in any way a potential boyfriend.

All of the smoking-related humor this episode felt beneath How I Met, with none of it laugh-out-loud funny. Marshall's system of masking his smoking from Lily, Lily's poorly lip-synced smoking voice (provided by Harvey Fierstein), the "Remember when you used to be able to smoke in bars?" Family Guy-style manatee joke, Barney's explanation of the only times he smokes, the group's irritability when they try to quit -- at the most they brought a feeling of slight amusement, at the worst they made me wonder what the hell show I was watching. The only smoking-related moment I found funny was when Marshall imagined the first time he tried smoking, at age thirteen -- the cold weather and snow around Marshall and his friend on summer vacation was an amusing, understated dig at Marshall's Minnesotan heritage.

I'm sure there are viewers -- likely either smokers or ex-smokers themselves -- who found this episode really entertaining but personally I see "Last Cigarette Ever" as the worst episode ever for How I Met Your Mother. I don't think there's an objective way to view comedy; either something works for you or it doesn't. I'm just glad this episode's over and we'll likely never hear about or see the characters smoke again.